Monica's Choice
by Crystal289
Summary: Chandler tells Monica how he feels about her and she has to choose between him and Richard. This story will eventually be C+M. Chapter 4 is now up.
1. Default Chapter

This fanfic takes place around the third season when Richard and Monica are dating. Sorry if everyone acts out of character, but it is a fanfic. It doesn't have to be totally exact. Â Chandler isn't dating Janice and Ross and Rachel are dating. But Ross and Rachel aren't in this fic so it really doesn't matter. This is my very first fanfic so don't kill me if it's a total piece of crap. And it's also just the first chapter. If people think it's good, I'll continue it when I have the time. Ok just read and review.  
  
Rachel and Monica's Apartment. No one is there but Monica and Chandler.  
  
"Mon I have to tell you something pretty important." Chandler asked in a serious tone  
  
Monica was afraid by what he was going to say. She assumed that he was going to tell her that he had some life-threatening disease and was going to die in six months or something like that. She quickly turned white.  
  
Chandler noticed the pale look on Monica's face and knew exactly what she was thinking.  
  
"No no it's nothing like that. I'm not dying." Chandler said relieved when Monica's face went back to normal.  
  
"Ok maybe you should sit down for this. Monica I love you." Chandler whispered.  
  
At that very moment someone knocked very loudly on the door and Monica jumped, partly from shock and from what she just heard. She quickly rose to get it. There stood Richard. She let him in and he kissed her deeply. Chandler watched with a jealous look on his face and quietly opened the door and left. When he reached is apartment he went to his room and lay down on his bed. He stared at the ceiling. What was he thinking? He just told the woman he loved how he felt about her. He knew she had a boyfriend. Of course she wouldn't love him back. She couldn't. She had Richard. He knew he was nothing compared to Richard. Richard was the tall, handsome man with a moustache who everyone liked. He was just the sarcastic boy next door who everyone found a bit annoying. Chandler knew he had absolutely no chance and he regretted ever telling Monica how he felt. Especially when her boyfriend walked in the very next minute.  
  
Chandler avoided Monica for the next few days. He was trying to avoid the pain and rejection. But he knew sooner or later he'd have to face her. He just wanted it to be later.  
  
The next morning he walked into the girls' apartment expecting it to be empty since he thought everyone was at work. He was shocked to find Richard and Monica making out on the couch.  
  
"I'm so sorry. I'll just go." Chandler quickly apologized before opening the door and entering the hall.  
  
"No wait Chandler. We need to talk" Monica rushed after him.  
  
"Look I'm sorry I interrupted you and Richard. Just get back to whatever you were doing. It's fine with me. Really."  
  
"Wait a second. I have to ask you something."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"About what you said a few days ago. Did you really mean it?"  
  
"What? About me loving you? If that's what your talking about, then yes I did mean it. I loved you since the first day I moved across the hall." he replied softly.  
  
"Oh my God. I don't know what to say. I'm really flattered but..."  
  
Chandler cut her off. "But you're with Richard. I understand. It's ok. I mean I've been able to handle you dating guys before. I don't see why this should be any different.  
  
"I..I need some time to think" 


	2. Chapter 2: The decision

I decided to write the next chapter today. It's pretty short since I have homework to do later and can't spend all my time doing this. Please read and review. It's okay if you give me some ideas or criticism. It helps me write better. And I also need some ideas on how to continue this. Ok this takes place the day after my last fic left off. Monica told Chandler she needed to think about it since she was already with Richard.  
  
Monica is in her apartment by herself when Chandler walks in.  
  
"Hey Mon." Chandler says in a barely audible tone.  
  
"Hey." she whispers back.  
  
"I should go. Shouldn't I? I mean you need more time to think and I don't want to bother you." He turned around to go back across the hall.  
  
"No Chandler wait. I've already made my decision."  
  
"Oh. Who'd you pick?" Chandler asked in a slightly hopeful tone.  
  
Monica touched his arm. "I'm so sorry. I'm going to stay with Richard."  
  
Chandler flinched as she said Richard's name. "Oh. Well I guess I should have saw that coming. After all he is the love of your life and will always be. I mean that's what everyone says."  
  
"But they never knew about any of this."  
  
"I guess it's better that they don't know. No one would be influencing your decision about who you should be with." he replied sadly with tears filling up his blue eyes.  
  
Monica sighed. She never knew that choosing Richard would be this painful. It just broke her heart to see him so devastated. She could see the sad expression on his face, which made her eyes water. He must have had so much hope that she was going to pick him instead of Richard.  
  
Chandler spoke again breaking Monica's train of thought. "I should go and I don't mean just for now. I have to leave New York. My job transferred me to Washington. You were going to be the reason for me to stay. So I guess there's nothing else left for me here. Go be with Richard. You already broke my heart. You've got nothing left to say to me." He said in a somewhat bitter way as slowly opened the door.  
  
Those words made Monica's tears fall. She never knew he felt this strongly about her. He was her best friend. She couldn't lose him forever. He couldn't leave New York. "Don't go. Please stay." she pleaded.  
  
"I have to. I can't stand to watch you and Richard together. I know it might seem selfish to you but it hurts so much just thinking about you two. My bags are already packed. Tell Joey and the rest of the gang that I'm sorry but I have to go. Also tell them I'll call when I get settled in Washington. Just remember I love you and I always will." With those words he swiftly left the room and Monica's life.  
  
Monica burst into tears. She wasn't so sure that she had made the right decision after all. But she knew one thing for sure. She broke the heart of the most important man in her life and lost his friendship just as well. Monica ran to her room and shut the door. Then she fell back on the bed and cried herself to sleep, wishing that this day had never happened. 


	3. Chapter 3: Consequences of the decision

I finally have a little time to write the third chapter. This might be hurried since I have a project to do so I can only write a little on Fridays or Saturdays. Ok please read and review. I also need a lot of ideas on how I should continue this. I'm sorry if this is out of character, sad or whatever and I promise that this will end happily. This takes place the morning right after Chandler leaves New York. Monica is telling the gang what happened.  
  
Monica is in her apartment by herself when everyone arrives.  
  
"Guys. I need to tell you all something." Monica quietly said. Her eyes were puffy from crying the night before.  
  
"What's wrong?" everyone responded.  
  
"Well..." Monica started to explain.  
  
"Shouldn't we wait for Chandler to get here first? I'm sure he'd want to here this too." Joey asked.  
  
"That's the thing. Chandler's not in New York anymore." she replied sadly.  
  
"What!" everyone exclaimed.  
  
"His job transferred him to Washington. He left last night."  
  
"But why would he leave without saying goodbye to us? Aren't we supposed to be his friends?" Rachel asked.  
  
"Chandler said he was really sorry but he had to go immediately. Apparently there was some project or something he had to work on." Monica lied. "But he said he would call us as soon as he got settled. She didn't want to be answering everyone's questions. She also hated lying to her friends but she had a lot more on her mind. Chandler's leaving was killing her inside whether she knew it or not.  
  
"I can't believe he's gone." Joey whispered. Monica sighed. She knew Chandler leaving was hard on her and everyone else, but it must have been devastating for Joey. Chandler was Joey's best friend and was the brother Joey never had. Until now, Monica had not even thought how this would make everyone feel. She suddenly felt extremely selfish for thinking that she would be the only one affected by this. She knew how hard life would be without Chandler. There would be no more sarcastic comments and jokes to make her laugh. No one to comfort and cheer her up as well as he always did. Most of all, she lost the person who would always be there for her. No matter what the situation was.  
  
Joey spoke again interrupting Monica's thoughts. "Mon, do you know where in Washington he is? Or when he'll be back in New York?"  
  
Monica shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea. I wish I did though." Monica replied softly. The rest of the gang nodded in agreement. They all wish they knew where Chandler was. After a few minutes of silence, everyone decided to go home. The day had ended in the most depressing way. Joey lingered behind as everyone else left.  
  
"Monica, you didn't tell everyone the truth did you?" Joey asked.  
  
How did he know? Monica wondered in her head. "What are you talking about?" she tried to act as innocent and clueless as possible.  
  
"I know how Chandler felt about you. He's my best friend. Did you think he'd keep such a big secret from me? I was the one who convinced him to tell you how he felt. But you broke his heart didn't you? You're the one who made him leave. I would never have thought you'd pick Richard over Chandler. I can't even look at you now. I just lost my best friend because of you. We all have." Joey voice was now a little loud yet sad. He walked back to his apartment across the hall and slammed the door.  
  
Monica was in tears. What Joey had said was right. It was her fault that Chandler was gone. But she had absolutely no idea that Joey knew. Chandler had never mentioned anything to her. Why did she pick Richard anyway? He had already broken he heart once and she was now allowing him to do again. She knew Chandler would never be capable of breaking her heart. He was too kind and caring. She had lost Chandler's friendship and she would probably lose Joey's as well since he was very loyal to Chandler. Monica knew if she told the others they would probably have taken Chandler's side. What kind of mess had she gotten herself into? Just like the night before, Monica cried herself to sleep with the new realization of how much her decision had hurt her friends and made her lose the friendship of another one. 


	4. Chapter 4: Talking it out

Sorry I haven't written in awhile so it might be bad. I haven't been writing since I had an English project to do, I'm on a soccer team and my teachers give way too much homework most of the time. Also my birthday is next week! Ok, well this fic takes place a few months after Chandler has already left New York. Chandler has called and written the gang a few times with fake excuses of why he left for Washington. The gang is still together, but Joey has been really distant from Monica. This fic involves only Joey and Monica though so it doesn't really matter much about the gang. Monica is still with Richard but they haven't been as close as they have been before. Richard isn't even in this story so it really doesn't matter. I think I have explained everything so please read and review and tell me whether this sucks or whether I should continue because I personally think it's not that good. I also tried to make this fic as long as possible, but it's really hard since I get  
writer's block so easily and run out of ideas. I'll also try to include Chandler and the rest of the characters in the next fic.  
  
Monica is trying to get Joey to talk to her about Chandler, so she's waiting in his apartment. Joey is just walking in.  
  
"Joey we need to talk." Monica asked quietly.  
  
"No we don't Mon. You broke my best friend's heart and now he's gone. End of story." Joey replied coldly.  
  
"Please just hear me out." Monica pleaded.  
  
"Fine just talk fast. I've got an audition to go to in an hour. Without Chandler around it's been harder to pay rent."  
  
"Look I'm sorry Joey. It's not that I don't care about Chandler. I mean I love him, but just as a friend. A best friend." Monica explained.  
  
"If he was your best friend, why did you pick Richard over him? I mean Richard is like twenty years older than you. He even has grandchildren. Did you really think you both would have a future together? Chandler is perfect for you. You guys would be great together. He's the nicest guy and the greatest friend anyone could ask for. But if you can't see that, it's your loss." Joey responded.  
  
"Look Joey, to tell you the truth I really don't know where Richard and I are going with our relationship. So I can't answer that question. But I do know that even if Richard wasn't in the picture, Chandler and I would have never worked out." Monica replied.  
  
"Why exactly is that anyway? I believe if you guys would ever get together it would be forever. Chandler would never give up on you and I still think he has a tiny bit of hope. Even though he's 3000 miles away and you're with Richard."  
  
"You want to know why we wouldn't work out?" she asked.  
  
Joey nodded. He knew he had to convince Monica to be with Chandler. They were meant to be together and he would do whatever it took to make both of them happy.  
  
"I mean look at Ross and Rachel. They went through the friend dating thing and it never worked out. If Chandler and I ever broke up we'd never have the same close best friend bond as we have now."  
  
"First of all, you guys would never end up like Ross and Rachel. You're both totally different people. Not every pair of friends that start dating end up like that. Some actually end up being happy for the rest of their lives. You guys were also closer than Ross and Rachel were when they started dating. And second of all, do you actually think what you and Chandler have right now a bond? You couldn't even call that a friendship. You guys aren't even talking and he's all the way across the country." Joey fought back. He had to make Monica realize that she belonged with Chandler.  
  
Monica was silent. She knew Joey was right. And she hated being wrong. No matter what she did now, things would never be the same. Chandler and her would never be best friends again and she might not even have part of Joey's friendship left to salvage. Her life was such a mess. Joey was also right about Richard. She didn't even know if their relationship would last. At mean Richard had broken her heart once. Who's to say that he wouldn't do it again? Monica knew she should have at least give Chandler a chance instead of rejecting him so quickly to be with Richard.  
  
Joey noticed Monica wasn't responding, so he left Monica with her thoughts and went to his audition. He hoped with all his heart that Monica would make the right decision and give Chandler the chance and happiness he deserved. 


End file.
